1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for vending and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for vending food products on a roller-type grilling apparatus that is typically used to grill hot dogs and other sausage-type products; such roller-type grilling machines being common at convenience stores, concession stands and the like.
2. Background of the Invention
One of the first roller-type grills was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,604,842 entitled xe2x80x9cSausage Grillxe2x80x9d which issued on Jul. 29, 1952, the teachings of which are herein incorporated by reference. This type of grill has been modernized over the years, but the basic concept remains. That is, a plurality of elongate cylindrical rods are placed in parallel relationship so as to support a hot dog between the rods. The rods are heated to a desired temperature and continuously rotated. As the rods rotate, the hot dogs rotate in an opposite direction within the space created between the rods. By rotating the hot dogs, the hot dogs remain hot without becoming burned, as would be the case if the hot dogs were to be heated by a grill without rotation.
Another common type of roller-type grilling apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,486 (the ""485 patent) to Miller, the teachings of which are herein incorporated by reference, in which a plurality of rods extend transversely across an inclined platen. Food items are positioned on the platen between adjacent rods. The rods are then moved a predetermined distance over the platen by in a reciprocating matter to cause the food items to roll on the inclined platen.
More modern roller-type grills are similar in size to that shown in the ""485 patent and include such features as the ability to create various zones of heat on a single roller-type grill to accommodate different types of foods. For example, the front rollers may be heated to a first temperature with the back rollers heated to a second higher temperature. The front rollers may then be employed to heat a first food product that requires less heating than a second food product placed on the back rollers. More recently, such roller grill units have been utilized to heat in a vending situation food products other than hot dogs. For example, burrito products have been manufactured to roll on and be heated by a roller grill. Such other products, however, have not been successful because of the relatively short product life experienced by such products.
Hot dogs have a product life on a roller grill of approximately twenty minutes. It takes approximately twenty minutes for hot dogs to even reach their desired vending temperature. After one hour of exposure, the hot dogs should be discarded and replaced by new products. Thus, the hot dogs only have approximately forty minutes of total vending time, after which they should are be disposed of and replaced with fresh product. It is often the case, however, that hot dogs remain on the grill well after their product life has expired.
In addition to the fact that the hot dogs become over cooked if left on a roller grill for more than one hour, the hot dogs can become contaminated with enough bacteria to become harmful to the consumer. Because the food product is not packaged, the food product is touched by hand when placed on the grill. In the case of a convenience store, it is typically the store clerk that is operating the roller grill and placing the food product on the grill. This is typically the same person handling money at the cash register. Thus, cross-contamination between bacteria on money and the food product is highly likely. In addition, if the grill itself is not properly maintained and cleaned, bacteria can be picked up from the grilling apparatus onto the food product. Moreover, the extended period of non-refrigeration of the food product can allow bacteria to grow to dangerous levels on the food product as well.
Another problem with roller grills exists with the products themselves. That is, food products such as hot dogs are typically frozen prior to being placed on the grill. If the hotdog or other food product is not sufficiently linearly straight, the food product can xe2x80x9ccrawlxe2x80x9d from roller to roller until the food product falls off of the roller grill and onto the floor. Furthermore, if the hot dogs are not straight, they are commonly placed aside until thawed to allow them to straighten. If not carefully monitored, the hot dogs can sit unheated for an extended period of time even before being placed on the grill, again shortening the product life.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a food product that can be vended from a roller-type grilling apparatus that has a relatively long product life once placed on the grilling apparatus and that does not directly contact the surface of the grilling apparatus. These and other advantages will become apparent from a reading of the following description of the illustrated embodiments of a method and apparatus for vending food products from a roller-type grilling apparatus in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
A method and apparatus for vending food products from a roller-type grilling machine includes a packaging system that extends the product life on the grilling machine by keeping the food product from directly contacting the grilling machine. By packaging the product in accordance with the principles of the present invention, the food product is kept in a controlled environment until it is opened by the ultimate consumer after being heated by the grilling machine. The packaging apparatus and method of vending of the present invention typically increases the product life on the grill from about twenty minutes to over six hours.
The present method and apparatus for vending food products from a roller-type grilling apparatus also improves the storage characteristics of the food product. In many case, the food product packaged in accordance with the principles of the present invention need not be refrigerated prior to vending and has a shelf life of several weeks without refrigeration. In other cases where refrigeration is recommended or where the food product is frozen prior to vending, the storage life of the food product is increased from minutes to hours. Thus, an entire day""s supply of product can be thawed overnight on the night before sale and then simply placed as needed on the grilling apparatus as sales warrant during the day.
The present invention also improves the handling characteristics for storage and transport prior to sale. That is, because the food product of the present invention is packaged through the vending process and only opened by the end consumer, the operator of the grilling apparatus never touches the edible portion of the product.
Furthermore, because the food product is packaged and thus substantially sealed from the external environment, the food itself never touches the grill. Thus, the present invention virtually eliminates the need to clean the roller grill after use.
Additionally, the present invention reduces the loss associated with the product becoming stale on the grill. Because the product life on the grill is significantly increased (i.e., from minutes to hours), the timing decisions associated with turning over stale product is removed from the sales staff. That is, based upon the projected sales for a given day based upon prior sales, product can be placed on the grill that is likely to be sold during a period of time. Because that period of time is relatively long, there is significantly less chance that the product in accordance with the present invention will become stale prior to sale.
The packaging system of the present invention provides all of the foregoing advantages as well as others not specifically enumerated by comprising either an airtight or pressure relief packaging apparatus to prevent the food contained within the package from becoming contaminated from the package""s external environment until it is opened by the end consumer after heating on a roller grill. Such food products may include hot dogs, hot dogs in a bun, pizza rolls, cinnamon rolls, soups, bagels, pastas, and any other type of food product in which it is desired to vend the food product in a heated state.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the packaging is comprised of a cylindrical tube having a diameter that is sufficient to contain the desired food product and that will properly rotate on a roller-type grilling apparatus. Such packaging may comprise an elongate tube formed from plastic, cardboard-type paper lined with metal foil, or other materials known in the art. End caps are attached to the ends of the elongate tube and sealed relative thereto. At least one of the caps is designed to be relatively easily removed from the tube to allow an end user to open the packaging and remove the food product contained therein.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the packaging is comprised of an elongate tube to which end caps are attached. The end caps have a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the tube. As such, the end caps raise the tube off of the surface of the roller grill to prevent over heating and/or burning of the food product contained therein. Depending upon the heat of the roller grill, the end caps may be formed from a heat resistant material.
In another embodiment, the packaging of the present invention is comprised of a cylindrical tube defining a first food product chamber, a first end cap attached to one end of the tube and a second removable end cap attached to the other end of the tube. The second removable end cap defines a second food chamber therein and is sealed from contact with the first food chamber. With such a device, a first food product such as a bread stick can be placed in the first food chamber and a second liquid-type food product such as dipping sauce can be placed in the second food chamber. Thus, once the second end cap is removed and opened by the end user, the first food product can be removed from the first food chamber and dipped into the second food chamber containing the second food product.
In yet another embodiment, the packaging of the present invention is configured to rest on a roller grill, but not necessarily rotate with the rollers. The packaging comprises on or more elongate semicircular recesses along the bottom thereof, for receiving a portion of one or more rollers therein. Thus, the packaging rests on top of the roller grill allowing the rollers to spin without any significant movement of the packaging relative to the rollers. In such a way, the packaging can be maintained in an upright position. Such a package may be desired where pressure relief of the packaging is desired as is the case where the food product is primarily in liquid form (e.g., soups). One or more pressure relief valves can be placed in the top of the packaging to allow pressurized steam to escape from the package without the food product from spilling from the packaging. Such a non-rotating package can also be used to house food products that are not typically cylindrically configured such as bagels, cinnamon rolls, and the like.
In another embodiment, the packaging includes an outer package containing an inner bag. Such a configuration may be employed with liquid type food products, such as soups. The bag as well as the outer package may include one or more pressure relief valves to allow pressurized steam from escaping from the packaging without causing spilling of the food product.
In yet another embodiment, the packaging is comprised of an outer housing that is cylindrical in shape containing an inner housing separated from the outer housing by a plurality of bearings that allow the outer housing to rotate while the inner housing remains in a relatively upright orientation. By weighting the bottom of the inner housing, the inner housing will not rotate as the outer housing rotates. A pressure valve can then be provided in the top or near the top of the inner housing to allow pressurized steam to escape from the inner housing while the outer housing rotates.
The packaging system of the present invent on can be configured to provide a standard shape and size of the food product to maximize roller grill space. Because there is typically a cost associated with any vending space, there is a premium on maximizing the space. The packaging system of the present invention can be configured to maximize the amount of food product that can be placed on the grilling apparatus. That is, knowing the size of the grilling apparatus, the packaging containing the food product can be sized and shaped to maximize the surface area of the grilling apparatus so that little space on the grilling apparatus wasted.